From Goodreads: After some time off, Kendall’s ready to begin ghost hunting again. But her life is still in flux. She misses Patrick, her new love. She needs to find a photographer to replace Taylor. Plus, she may have discovered who her real father is, but to be sure, she has to convince his family she’s not a fake. And then there’s a certain doll that seems to be out to get her and her friends. A doll? How could that be? Unless, perhaps, it’s not just a doll. Maybe it’s a vessel containing the soul of a man so evil in life, not even death could stop his reign of terror. This could be Kendall’s most terrifying and deadliest encounter yet.

How long did you work on this book?It’s funny…people ask me that all the time and it’s hard to put a time frame on it. I originally came up with the idea for the fourth and fifth GHOST HUNTRESS books in August 2009 when my editor told me she wanted more books. I had written a sales pitch then, but I hadn’t really let the story flesh out. When I begin working on a book, I think about it all the time. I let it cook in my head before I let it play out into a written synopsis. The actual writing of the book started on June 11, 2010 and I turned it in to my editor on July 6, 2010. Yep…you counted that correctly. A book in twenty-six days. I don’t know why I do that. It’s like, I work harder when I have a deadline breathing down my back. Just like I did in college with term papers.

How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?Rejections? Many. So many. LOL! How many? I stopped counting. Honestly. I wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember. I have written in all of my corporate jobs, but it was what someone else wanted me to write – newsletters, press releases, product papers, blogs, etc. I started writing for publication on February 1, 2001. Yes, I remember the day that I opened the Word document and began the story that I was determined to finish. I’d dabbled with ideas here and there for years and had several misfires of unfinished manuscripts. But on that day in February, I started what would turn out to be 863 pages of…well, nothing sellable. However, by August of that year, I had finished it. And then I started another one. I got my first agent (bad!) in March of 2002 and my second agent (awesome!) in July of 2005. Six months later, I had a book deal. I credit her because she has her pulse on the trigger of the industry and knew the right editors and what they were looking for. So…it was a long journey in that I first started writing when I was a child and then it took me five years, twelve completed manuscripts, and two agents to get “the call.”

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?I get asked this a lot and it’s a really simple answer. If you want to be a writer…then write. Don’t talk about it. Don’t spend all of your time reading “how to” books. Don’t use all your time on message boards getting into other people’s dramas and work ethics. Don’t write your favorite author asking the “secret” to getting published. Don’t dwell on other’s “overnight” success and try to emulate it. If you want to write…write. Sit down. Open Word. Start writing. And don’t stop until you reach “the end.” Tell the elves of self-doubt to take a hike and just enjoy the process. Most of all, if you don’t love what you’re writing, aren’t fascinated by your characters and what they’re going through, then an agent and editor won’t either…and readers certainly won’t. Write from the heart and just do it.

What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?The outpouring of support from readers. Rarely does a day pass that I don’t get an e-mail from a fan. I’ve gotten a ton. So many, I can’t even count. But I save every one of them. Every. One. Each message touches me, encourages me, and keeps me writing. I’m just so touched that people read my stories, love my characters, and identify with what they’re going through. A really cool thing is that my GHOST HUNTRESS series is on the best seller list in the Philippines. I have a TON of teen fans from the Philippines. It’s amazing how many e-mails I get from them and a lot of them have dreams of becoming a writer themselves. To know that I’ve reached someone in another country with my words and story…wow…that’s just pretty cool. I hope I can do this forever.

From Goodreads: Three sisters. One life-changing summer. Calla loves summer because summer means Duncan. They’ve been best friends for years, but Calla has never worked up the nerve to tell him how she really feels. This summer, the summer before college, is Calla's last chance. Violet isn't much of a rule breaker in real life. But this isn't real life, this is summer, and Violet is determined to make the most of it. Besides, a little sneaking out never hurt anyone. And sneaking out with James is 100% worth the risk...even though James is completely off-limits. Daisy has never been the sister that boys notice, but when sparks fly with Joel at the first bonfire of summer, it seems so easy and right. So why is being his girlfriend so complicated?

How long did you work on this book?Writing The Summer of Firsts and Lasts took me about nine months for the first draft. After that of course there were revisions and proofreads and all of that over the course of about a month or so. So, longer than a whole summer, but not quite a year!

How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?As you all probably know, the journey to publication is different for everybody. Mine is a little long and winding, in that I really have been writing for most of my life, and studied it seriously in high school, college, and even in grad school. I didn’t get interested in YA until I was working as an editorial assistant in New York, however (that’s where the idea for Pure came from). Because I was in publishing and new a lot of editors, I talked to them about my idea which encouraged me to keep working on the manuscript. When I moved away to Atlanta, I stopped working on it, but an editor remembered my idea and approached me a year later. I worked on the outline and the pitch, and she took it in to acquisitions. The short version sounds so easy! But really it was almost two decades in the making.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?Write and keep writing and don’t stop writing. In the rest of your time (when you aren’t, you know, being serious about school and friends and stuff), read. Read as much as you can. Read everything you can. That includes newspapers and magazines and books you wouldn’t be caught dead looking at, not just the ones by authors you like. If you are serious about being a writer, you need to know what’s already out there. You will ultimately be entering a conversation that’s been going on for centuries and you don’t want to sound like an idiot when you get there. And everything you read teaches you a little more about writing, anyway (even how not to write), so it’s all good for you!

What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?What an awesome community of other writers and editors and bloggers and reviewers and readers and fans there are out there, and all the great ways you can connect with them. Writing is such a solitary practice—just you, on your own, with the page—so when you climb out of that state, it’s really wonderful to be able to interact with so many people!

From Goodreads: I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both. Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface. While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

How long did you work on this book?I gave myself a year to write it and came in at around ten months. After that, I took a month or so to revise polish it up before I queried it.

How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?I was extremely fortunate in that it all happened pretty quick. I began querying in October of 2009 and got my agent on December 31st--a day I will never forget because I got to meet her at my house, and that was the best New Years' Eve ever!

She had some revisions she wanted to see before she subbed it, so I did those and it went out and sold in February of 2010. Definitely a whirlwind process for me!

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?I'm sure you've heard it before, but it's true: write what you love, regardless of trend, or other people's opinions, or anything else out there. Write a book you'd want to read. Then revise the heck out of it. I've heard this said as well, but didn't know how true it was until I had to do it again and again. The real writing happens in revision. That's where you get to mold the story that's on paper into the story you imagined in your head. And it takes work. And chocolate.

From Goodreads: When Brooke's crush, Scott, moves from their suburban town to New York City, she decides to follow him there. Living with her formerly estranged dad and adapting to a new school are challenging, and things go from bad to worse when Brooke learns that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she builds her new life, Brooke begins to discover a side of herself she never knew existed. And as she finds out, in the city that never sleeps, love can appear around any corner...

How long did you work on this book?I started writing the first draft of So Much Closer in the summer of 2009. It took about five months to revise the draft into good enough shape to submit to my editors. They’re excellent about getting back to me quickly with feedback for revisions. Revising took another five months. After copyediting, the first pass, and the second pass, So Much Closer was entirely completed in September 2010.

How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?Rejections are part of every author’s journey. Which sucks. But you can’t let rejection stop you from moving forward. I was rejected by about seven publishers before an editor at Penguin wanted to work with me. She didn’t offer me a contract right away, though. I was a teacher back then and didn’t have a lot of writing time. I mainly did revisions over breaks and summers. After about two years of revising, I was offered a contract for When It Happens. That was a good day.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?Read. A lot. Write what makes you feel alive. If you’re passionate about what you’re writing, other people will want to read it.

What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?How much work is involved in the non-writing part of being an author is shocking. I am so thrilled to be an author now that everyone’s online. It’s awesome to be able to communicate with my readers so easily. But between answering emails, checking in on Facebook and Twitter, blogging, working on my website, on everything else I keep updated, it also means that I spend hours every day online. I think it’s important to keep my online presence consistent and my website fresh. So the time commitment is totally worth it!

From Goodreads: After the death of her free-spirited mother, sixteen-year-old Alex Lee must leave her home in northern California to live with her wealthy grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful, if unwilling, member of the Magnolia League, Savannah's long-standing debutante society. She quickly discovers that the Magnolias have made a pact with a legendary hoodoo family, the Buzzards. The Magnolias enjoy youth, beauty and power. But at what price?

How long did you work on this book?I worked on the Magnolia League for about a year and a half. I had a baby in the middle, however, so much was written in a mad rush last summer after I found a great babysitter.

How was your journey to publication? Long, short, how many rejections?Looooong. I have to say, I earned my chops. I've been writing since grade school, and throughout my twenties was sending out articles and stories to magazines. Many, many rejections. At 29, I took two years off from the real world to get my MFA from Columbia University. I received a litany of "no" letters during that time, too.

My first book was finally accepted by my agent after seven full revisions when I was 32. He sold the book pretty easily, but we had pored over every single word first.

You know, in grad school, I don't think anyone in my class would have picked me as the person who would, five years later, become a bestselling author. A lot of people didn't like my writing. It was too dark, too funny, not intellectual enough, too all over the place. And I didn't stand out. I'm not belittling myself--I know that I have talent. But there were some real geniuses there. Yet the fact is I just never gave up. I'm a real workhorse. I plod along every day. Some days the work is great, some days I have to trash it all. But I have worked every single day on my writing, and it's paid off.

So there's a moral here: Don't give up! If you really want to be a writer, it will happen. But it takes patience and hard work. You also have to completely ignore what other people say or accomplish. As the great Ellen Gilchrist once said, you need to play our own game.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?Write every day. Even if it's just a sentence. And keep it! I derived a lot of Mag League from my old diaries.

Also, (ironically, as this is a blog!) stay off of the Internet as much as possible. It's a time suck and does nothing for your ability to write or observe real life. Read real books - the kind with paper pages. And write by hand.

What has surprised you most about becoming a published author?How little life changed.

From Goodreads: Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to. Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift. As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

From Goodreads: Amber Appleton lives in a bus. Ever since her mom's boyfriend kicked them out, Amber, her mom, and her totally loyal dog, Bobby Big Boy (aka Thrice B) have been camped out in the back of Hello Yellow (the school bus her mom drives). Still, Amber, the self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism, refuses to sweat the bad stuff. But when a fatal tragedy threatens Amber's optimism--and her way of life, can Amber continue to be the rock star of hope? With an oddball cast of characters, and a heartwarming, inspiring story, this novel unveils a beautifully beaten-up world of laughs, loyalty, and hard-earned hope.

From Goodreads: Today has to be perfect. Magic. I look at the clock. 10:14 am. Ten fourteen. One plus one is two plus four is six plus ten is sixteen minus one is fifteen minus two is thirteen. OK. I turn from the clock and walk into the hallway. "Ready.” Saturday will be the third state soccer championship in a row for Jake Martin. Three. A good number. Prime. With Jake on the field, Carson City High can’t lose, because Jake has the magic: a self-created protection generated by his obsession with prime numbers. It’s the magic that has every top soccer university recruiting Jake, the magic that keeps his family safe, and the magic that suppresses his anxiety attacks. But the magic is Jake’s prison, because getting it means his compulsions take over nearly every aspect of his life. Jake’s convinced the magic will be permanent after Saturday, the perfect day, when every prime has converged. Once the game is over, he won’t have to rely on his sister, Kasey, to concoct excuses for his odd rituals. His dad will stop treating him like he is some freak. Maybe he’ll even make a friend other than Luc. But what if it doesn’t work? What if the numbers never go away?

From Goodreads: Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice. But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

From Goodreads: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

From Goodreads: Anna is dreading another tourist-filled summer on Dune Island that follows the same routine: beach, ice cream, friends, repeat. That is, until she locks eyes with Will, the gorgeous and sweet guy visiting from New York. Soon, her summer is filled with flirtatious fun as Anna falls head over heels in love. But with every perfect afternoon, sweet kiss, and walk on the beach, Anna can’t ignore that the days are quickly growing shorter, and Will has to leave at the end of August. Anna’s never felt anything like this before, but when forever isn’t even a possibility, one summer doesn’t feel worth the promise of her heart breaking….

From Goodreads: Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven't given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians. And now their most threatening enemy yet - the chaos snake Apophis - is rising. If they don't prevent him from breaking free in a few days' time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it's a typical week for the Kane family. To have any chance of battling the Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. But that would be a feat more powerful than any magician has ever accomplished. First they have to search the world for the three sections of the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh, and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is exactly?

From Goodreads: After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble. There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare- knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other-or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire- accompanied by her friends and frenemies-to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville...

From Goodreads: When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice.

From Amazon: It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.

From Goodreads: Meredith Willis is suspicious of Adrien, the new guy next door. When she dares to sneak a look into the windows of his house, she sees something in the cellar that makes her believe that Adrien might be more than just a creep—he may be an actual monster. But her sister, Heather, doesn’t share Meredith’s repulsion. Heather believes Adrien is the only guy who really understands her. In fact, she may be falling in love with him. When Adrien and Heather are cast as the leads in the school production of Romeo and Juliet, to Heather, it feels like fate. To Meredith, it feels like a bad omen. But if she tries to tear the couple apart, she could end up in the last place she’d ever want to be: the cellar. Can Meredith convince her sister that she’s dating the living dead before it’s too late for both of them?

Giveaway

Let's face it- we're all bookaholics, or else we wouldn't be here. Want to get one of these books guilt-free? Enter to win SHIFT, SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR, THE DISCOVERY: GHOST HUNTRESS 5, THE SUMMER OF FIRSTS AND LASTS, MOONGLASS, THE MAGNOLIA LEAGUE, or 2 copies of SO MUCH CLOSER. To win, fill out the form below and leave a comment on this post. The contest is open to US residents and winners will be announced on Thursday!

There are so many great books being released this week. Naturally I'm very interested in Divergent, but Shift also tops my list. There are a few that I'd love to check out for the first time. Like I said, great week :)

Wow! So many books coming out this week. I've been looking forward to Divergent and The Magnolia League for a while - so I cannot wait to get my fingers on them! Thanks for the great interviews and giveaway :)

I'm really looking forward to Divergent's release. Of course, seeing these other releases I may have a tough time deciding which to read first. I may have to resort to deciding based off of the cover, but so many of this weeks's releases have great covers too. Thanks for sharing and for the contest.

Coming here and reading the great interviews and learning about the giveaways is always my favorite way to start my week. I love the way you keep us up to date on the newest books and the most wonderful authors.

I love all these books! I just saw their titles & the summaries next to it and next thing you know I'm looking them up! I can't wait to read some of them :) even though they're just released i will, somehow, find a way to read all of these really soon!!

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